Campaigners at Cumbernauld Town Centre. Picture is copyright of Scott Campbell/ Cumbernauld Media.

CUMBERNAULD campaigners are trying to battle back the UK Government’s under-occupancy charge.

Local campaign group Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Defend Public Sector Jobs and Services were present at Cumbernauld Town Centre on Saturday afternoon – petition in hand to battle against the charge, dubbed the ‘bedroom tax’.

Talking to Cumbernauld Media, John Miller, a spokesman Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Defend Public Sector Jobs and Services said: “We were in the Town Centre to collect signatures against the Bedroom Tax, as part of the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Defend Public Sector Jobs and Services campaign; a broad, locally-based campaign, set up through the Cumbernauld HMRC Accounts Office PCS union, to challenge the attacks on public services and the welfare state, initiated by the coalition government. Although they recognise, at the same time, that if Labour had been in power, then we would be the exact same situation. Nonetheless, we are determined to protect the values and concepts of the welfare state.”

Mr Miller, an active Socialist party member, PCS union member and activist described the public reaction as “fantastic”, adding that the group ran out of materials in under two hours of campaigning at the town centre, on Saturday afternoon.

“The public reaction has been fantastic,” John told us. “We were at the Town Centre for less than two hours and we had already distributed all of our leaflets; having to go back to the office and print off more signature sheets.

“Ninety-nine per cent of the public who talked to us recognised that this is a divisive process, against ordinary working people; the most vulnerable, the poor dependent on socially rented housing, who cannot find a job – all of whom are penalised just because they might have an extra room – it’s a disgrace.”

Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Defend Public Sector Jobs and Services is preparing to hold an anti-bedroom tax meeting with local UNITE union representative Jack Ferguson.

The event will be held at the Link Community Centre on Wednesday 22nd May, at 7.30pm. All are welcome to attend.

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